Yes for Families
VOTE August 4
VOTE Yes for Families for a stronger child care system for Kalamazoo County’s youngest learners, families, providers, employers, and communities.
A stronger child care future starts here.
The Challenge
The child care system
is broken.
The average Kalamazoo County household spends 34% of its income on child care, while the affordability standard is just 7%.
There is 1 licensed slot for every 4 children ages 0–3 in Kalamazoo County.
71% of early childhood educators earn less than $15/hour; 42% struggle to afford basic needs.
Families need child care they can trust, afford, and count on. Providers need the resources to keep classrooms open without having to raise costs for families. Early educators need wages that reflect the importance of their work.
Right now, the child care system is failing all three.
Across Kalamazoo County, that failure shows up in high costs, limited options, staffing shortages, and too few slots for infants and toddlers.
The Solution
A local fund can:
Expand access to care, especially for children ages 0–3
Lower costs of child care for working families
Increase wages for early educators and stability for providers
Stabilize classrooms and child care businesses
Voting YES creates a local millage fund focused on child care access, affordability, workforce support, and care for our youngest learners throughout all of Kalamazoo County. A YES vote will help more families afford care, support providers and early educators, and expand access where the need is greatest, especially for children ages 0–3.
With county oversight, community input, and ongoing evaluation, this approach will help move Kalamazoo County toward a stronger, more coordinated child care system.
WHY THIS MATTERS
A broken child care system affects all of us.
14% of parents left a job in the prior six months due to child care problems.
52% of parents made a significant adjustment to school or work training in the past year due to child care issues.
Michigan’s economy loses an estimated $2.88B annually due to child care issues.
Child care-related turnover and absenteeism cost Michigan employers $2.3B annually.
Child care does more than support families—it supports our entire community.
When care is reliable, parents can work, employers can retain staff, providers can keep classrooms open, and children can thrive.
When care falls short, the consequences ripple across Kalamazoo County. Families lose options. Employers lose workers. Providers lose stability. Children lose access to the care they need.
That's why child care is essential community infrastructure—not a burden families should have to carry alone.
Get Involved
Help build a stronger child care future for Kalamazoo County!
A stronger child care future will take community support.
Whether you are a parent, provider, employer, community leader, or Kalamazoo County resident, you can help build understanding, share information, and support local action for our youngest learners and the people who care for them.
